Aiots device id management
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202480090153.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-27
Smart Images
Figure CN122996699A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The exemplary embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to the field of communications, and more specifically, to network devices, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for managing environmental Internet of Things (AIOT) identifiers (IDs). Background Technology
[0002] A communication network can be viewed as a facility that enables communication between two or more communication devices, or provides communication devices with access to a data network. Mobile or wireless communication networks are an example of communication networks. Such communication networks operate according to standards, such as those issued by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) or ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute). Examples of such standards include the so-called 5G (fifth generation) standard or other standards issued by 3GPP.
[0003] A new research project on solutions for Ambient Internet of Things (AIOT) in New Radio (NR) has recently been approved. This research aims for further evaluation at the RAN WG level of AIoT (New 3GPP IoT Technology), suitable for deployment in 3GPP systems, which relies on ultra-low power, ultra-low complexity devices for ultra-low-end IoT applications. However, some issues related to AIoT still require further investigation. Summary of the Invention
[0004] In summary, the example embodiments of this disclosure provide a solution for managing environmental Internet of Things (AIOT) identifiers (IDs).
[0005] In a first aspect, a first network device is provided. The first network device includes: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to at least perform: receiving from a second network device a request for the allocation of a temporary ID for use within the network for an Ambient Internet of Things (AIOT) device, the request including a device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device; and allocating a temporary ID for the AIOT device based on the device ID of the AIOT device.
[0006] In a second aspect, a second network device is provided. The second network device includes: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the network device to at least: send a request to a first network device for the allocation of a temporary ID for use within the network for an Ambient Internet of Things (AIOT) device, the request including a device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device.
[0007] In a third aspect, a method is provided. The method includes: at a first network device, receiving from a second network device a request for the allocation of a temporary ID for use in the network for an Ambient Internet of Things (AIOT) device, the request including a device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device; and at the first network device, allocating a temporary ID for the AIOT device based on the device ID of the AIOT device, wherein the temporary ID is unique under the control of the first network device.
[0008] In the fourth aspect, a method is provided. This method includes sending a request from a second network device to a first network device for a temporary ID for network use of an AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIoT device.
[0009] In a fifth aspect, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes: components for receiving, at a first network device, a request from a second network device for allocating a temporary ID for network use of an AIOT device, the request including a device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device; and components for, at the first network device, allocating a temporary ID for the AIOT device based on the device ID of the AIOT device, wherein the temporary ID is unique under the control of the first network device.
[0010] In a sixth aspect, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes components for sending a request from a second network device to a first network device for a temporary ID for network use of an allocated environmental Internet of Things (AIOT) device, the request including a device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device.
[0011] In a seventh aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided, comprising program instructions. When executed by a device, the program instructions cause the device to perform at least the following: at a first network device, receiving from a second network device a request for allocating a temporary ID for network use of an AIOT device, the request including a device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device; and at the first network device, allocating the temporary ID of the AIOT device based on the device ID of the AIOT device, wherein the temporary ID is unique under the control of the first network device.
[0012] In an eighth aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided, including program instructions. When executed by a device, the program instructions cause the device to perform at least the following: sending a request from a second network device to a first network device for a temporary ID for network use of an allocated environment Internet of Things (AIOT) device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device.
[0013] In a ninth aspect, a computer program is provided, including instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to at least: at a first network device, receive from a second network device a request for allocating a temporary ID for network use of an AIOT device, the request including a device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device; and at the first network device, allocate the temporary ID of the AIOT device based on the device ID of the AIOT device, wherein the temporary ID is unique under the control of the first network device.
[0014] In a tenth aspect, a computer program is provided, including instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to at least perform: sending a request from a second network device to a first network device for a temporary ID for network use of an AIOT (Internet of Things) device, the request including a device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device.
[0015] In an eleventh aspect, a first network device is provided. The first network device includes: a receiving circuitry configured to receive from a second network device a request for the allocation of a temporary ID for use in the network for an Ambient Internet of Things (AIOT) device, the request including a device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device; and an allocation circuitry configured to allocate a temporary ID of the AIOT device based on the device ID of the AIOT device, wherein the temporary ID is unique under the control of the first network device.
[0016] In a twelfth aspect, a second network device is provided. The second network device includes a transmitting circuitry configured to send a request to a first network device for the allocation of a temporary ID for use within the network for an Internet of Things (AIoT) device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIoT device.
[0017] It should be understood that the summary section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Some exemplary embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0019] Figure 1 An example of the topology of the AIoT technology that was agreed upon in Rel-19 is shown;
[0020] Figure 2A An example of 5G-GUTI (Globally Unique Temporary Identifier) is shown;
[0021] Figure 2BAn example of a UID (Unique Identifier) as defined in ISO / IEC FCD 15693-3 is shown;
[0022] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an example communication network in which some embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented is shown;
[0023] Figure 4 An example of a process flow for assigning a temporary ID to an AIoT device is shown according to some example embodiments of this disclosure;
[0024] Figure 5 The present disclosure illustrates a temporary AIOT (T-AIOT) ID format compatible with 5GS-TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity) according to some example embodiments;
[0025] Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating T-AIOT and AIOT context creation according to some example embodiments of this disclosure is shown;
[0026] Figure 7 Examples of process flows for T-AIOT ID creation and use according to some example embodiments of this disclosure are shown;
[0027] Figure 8 An example flowchart of a method implemented at a first network device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;
[0028] Figure 9 An example flowchart of a method implemented at a second network device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;
[0029] Figure 10 Simplified example block diagrams of devices suitable for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure are shown; and
[0030] Figure 11 Example block diagrams of example computer-readable media according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.
[0031] In all the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements. Detailed Implementation
[0032] The principles of this disclosure will now be described with reference to some exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are described for illustrative purposes only and to assist those skilled in the art in understanding and implementing this disclosure, and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure described herein can be implemented in various ways other than those described below.
[0033] In the following description and claims, unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.
[0034] References to "an embodiment," "an example embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," etc., in this disclosure indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment includes that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, it should be understood that, whether explicitly described or not, it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to influence such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments.
[0035] It should be understood that although the terms “first” and “second” may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments, a first element may also be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may also be referred to as a first element. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed terms.
[0036] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that, when used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” “containing,” and / or “including” specify the presence of the stated features, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. As used herein, “at least one of the following: ” and “at least one of ” and similar wording, where the list of two or more elements is connected by “and” or “or”, means at least any one element, or at least any two or more elements, or at least all elements.
[0037] As used in this application, the term "circuit system" may refer to one or more of the following: (a) Hardware circuit implementation only (such as implementation only in analog and / or digital circuit systems); and (b) A combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as (if applicable): (i) A combination of (multiple) analog and / or digital hardware circuits and software / firmware, and (ii) Any part of a hardware processor (including (multiple) digital signal processors), software, and (multiple) memories, which work together to enable a device (such as a mobile phone or server) to perform various functions; and (c) (Multiple) hardware circuits and / or (multiple) processors (such as (multiple) microprocessors or a portion of (multiple) microprocessors) that require software (e.g., firmware) to operate, but may be absent when operation does not require software.
[0038] This definition of "circuit system" applies to all uses of the term in this application, including in any claim. As another example, as used in this application, the term "circuit system" also covers only the implementation of hardware circuitry or a processor (or multiple processors) or portions thereof and their accompanying software and / or firmware. The term "circuit system" also covers, for example, if applicable to a particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device or a similar integrated circuit in a server, cellular network device, or other computing or networking device.
[0039] As used herein, the terms “network,” “communication network,” or “data network” refer to a network that conforms to any suitable communication standard, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Wi-Fi, Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), satellite, enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC), non-terrestrial communication, terrestrial communication, etc. Furthermore, communication between terminal devices and network devices / components in a communication network can be performed according to any suitable generation of communication protocols, including but not limited to fourth-generation (4G), 4.5G, fifth-generation (5G), sixth-generation (6G), New Radio (NR), the IEEE 802.11 communication protocol, and / or any other currently known or to be developed in the future. Embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to various communication systems. Given the rapid development of communications, there will certainly be future types of communication technologies and systems that this disclosure can utilize. Therefore, this disclosure should not be construed as limiting its scope to the systems described above.
[0040] As used herein, the term "network device" refers to a node in a communication network through which terminal devices access the network and receive services. Depending on the terminology and technology applied, a network device can refer to a base station (BS), access point (AP), or transmit and receive point (TRP) in a random access network (RAN), such as a Node B (NodeB or NB), an evolved Node B (eNodeB or eNB), an NR NB (also known as a gNB), a remote radio unit (RRU), a radio head (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), a WiFi device, a relay, a low-power node (such as a femtosecond, picosecond), and so on.
[0041] Network device can also refer to a network entity in the core network (CN) that performs or includes one or more functions. This network entity can be a wireless device or a node. A network entity that includes network functions refers to an entity, device, or node that performs or is configured to perform at least a portion of the functionality of the network functions disclosed herein. Network functions can include one or more of the following, such as Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), AIOT Function (AIOTF), Network Exposure Function (NEF), Application Function (AF), User Plane Function (UPF), Policy Control Function (PCF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Network Function Repository Function (NRF), Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), etc.
[0042] The term "terminal device" refers to any terminal device capable of wireless communication. By way of example and not limitation, a terminal device may also be referred to as a communication device, user equipment (UE), subscriber station (SS), portable subscriber station, mobile station (MS), station (STA) or station equipment, or access terminal (AT). Terminal devices may include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, cellular phones, smartphones, Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, tablets, wearable terminal devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable computers, desktop computers, image capture terminal devices (such as digital cameras), gaming terminal devices, music storage and playback devices, in-vehicle wireless terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, laptop embedded devices (LEEs), laptop-mounted devices (LMEs), USB dongles, smart devices, wireless client devices (CPEs), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, watches or other wearables, head-mounted displays (HMDs), vehicles, drones, medical devices and applications (e.g., remote surgery), industrial devices and applications (e.g., robots and / or other wireless devices operating in the context of industrial and / or automated processing chains), consumer electronics devices, devices operating on commercial and / or industrial wireless networks, etc. In the following description, the terms “station,” “station equipment,” “STA,” “terminal equipment,” “communication equipment,” “terminal,” “user equipment,” and “UE” may be used interchangeably.
[0043] The term "transceiver" can refer to any device that can be coupled to one or more antennas or antenna ports to wirelessly transmit and / or receive communication signals. Antennas or antenna ports can be of the same or different types. Antennas or antenna ports can be located in different locations on the device. One or more transceivers allow the device to communicate with other devices, which can be wired and / or wireless. One or more transceivers can include processors, controllers, radios, receptacles, plugs, buffers, or similar circuitry to form one or more communication channels to one or more radio frequency units. One or more transceivers can be integrated into a device or system, such as a cellular communication device or system, a satellite communication device or system, a WLAN system, or a short-range system (e.g., a Bluetooth system).
[0044] Ambient IoT (AIoT) involves ultra-low cost and ultra-low power devices for IoT applications. The 3GPP RAN is leading a Rel-19 AIoT research project, which has recently been approved. It focuses on 3GPP IoT technologies suitable for deployment in 3GPP systems, relying on ultra-low power and ultra-low complexity devices for very low-end (e.g., low-cost) IoT applications. Two of the three connectivity topologies defined in Rel-18, namely Topology 1 and Topology 2, have been agreed to be studied in Rel-19. Those two connectivity topologies... Figure 1 It is shown in the middle.
[0045] like Figure 1 As shown in the upper part, in Topology 1, the AIoT device communicates directly and bidirectionally with the radio access network (e.g., radio access node, base station). Communication between the base station and the AIoT device includes AIoT data and / or signaling. This topology allows for the possibility that the BS sent to the AIoT device differs from the BS received from the AIoT device. Figure 1 As shown in the lower part of Topology 2, AIoT devices communicate bidirectionally with intermediate nodes (I-nodes) between the AIoT devices and the base station. In this topology, intermediate nodes can be AIoT relays, integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes, UEs, repeaters, etc. Intermediate nodes transmit information between the BS and the AIoT devices.
[0046] For short-range communication, AIoT devices may also be referred to as tags. Throughout this disclosure, AIoT devices and tags refer to the same terminal device and can be used interchangeably. A base station or intermediate node that sends signals to an AIoT device is also referred to as or refers to an activator, while a base station or intermediate node that receives signals from an AIoT device is also referred to as or may refer to a reader.
[0047] In order to find, discover, or locate the right (e.g., correct) AIoT device for AIoT services, 5GC, RAN nodes, and / or intermediate nodes may maintain association information for a particular AIoT device (e.g., a specific AIoT device or a corresponding AIoT device), which indicates via which RAN node or I-node the AIoT device will be reachable.
[0048] In 5GS, each UE is assigned a 5G-GUTI (Globally Unique Temporary Identifier), such as Figure 2A As shown in the diagram, 5G-GUTI includes a shortened UE ID, namely 5G-S-TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identifier). 5G-GUTI is used to support subscriber identification confidentiality, and 5G-GUTI in the shortened form of 5G-S-TMSI is used to enable more efficient radio signaling processes (e.g., paging and requests for one or more services, such as service requests).
[0049] Regarding device identifiers, there are already a wide range of application scenarios where different universal identifier systems have been defined by other standardization organizations for specific applications, such as radio frequency identification (RFID). To maintain the universality of identifiers, such identifiers are often quite large. For example, the unique identifier (UID) defined in ISO / IEC FCD 15693-3, which is permanently set by the IC manufacturer, is 64 bits.
[0050] Figure 2B An example of a UID as defined in ISO / IEC FCD 15693-3 is shown. As shown, the UID format, from MSB (most significant bit) to LSB (least significant bit), includes: an 8-bit field set to "E0", an IC manufacturer code (8 bits according to ISO / IEC 7816-6 / AM1), and a unique serial number (48 bits assigned by the IC manufacturer).
[0051] Electronic Product Code (EPC®) is a universal identifier for any physical object. A typical EPC is 96 bits in size. EPCs provide different types of tag encodings using a specific Common Resource Identifier (URI) syntax. EPC® can be used in conjunction with other organizational standards, such as Global Standard 1 (GS1), to identify individual physical objects, categories of physical objects, or groups of physical objects.
[0052] An EPC is a single, universal identifier for any physical object. Tracked physical objects can include a wide variety of items: trade goods, reusable vehicles, fixed assets, service relationships, documents, and more. By using an EPC, applications can reference any physical object using a single identifier without requiring special handling for each item category. An EPC URI is a string with the following format: [urn:epc:id:scheme:component1,component2…]. Similar to a UID, the last component (or LSB bit) of the EPC is assigned a sequence number (SN) to distinguish individual physical objects.
[0053] This disclosure addresses the following key issues in TR 23.700-13: Key Issue 2: Identification, Subscription, Registration, and Connection Management Of the three aspects that will be studied in this KI, we will focus on the following: o Research how to identify environmental IoT devices or groups of devices and how to format identifiers.
[0054] It has been suggested that 5GS be allowed to assign device IDs for network control. It has also been proposed that 5GC use existing third-party defined IDs to identify AIoT devices. However, for the reasons listed below regarding several concerns, directly using third-party defined IDs in 5GC is inappropriate.
[0055] The first issue relates to privacy. Non-3GPP systems can know third-party defined IDs and attempt to retrieve data from devices using these IDs.
[0056] The second issue relates to ID management. 5GC is capable of supporting various AIoT services based on AIoT device IDs. However, if the AIoT device ID is defined by a third party, its length and type may vary. For example, if an ID scheme used in an RFID system (EPC) is applied, the ID length can range from 96 bits to 274 bits depending on the application type. This variable length of the device ID can cause ID management issues in 5GC, as 5GC will have to adapt to this variability.
[0057] The third issue relates to resource efficiency. Assuming the number of AIoT devices will be in the millions to billions, it's possible for a large number of AIoT devices to initiate communication simultaneously via the network. To initiate communication with an AIoT device, the network may need to include the AIoT device ID in the initiation message. The longer the AIoT device ID, the lower the efficiency.
[0058] In addition, the current implementation has other drawbacks that need to be overcome. For example, the inclusion of certain fields in the 5GS internal ID, which contain information about the service / owner / producer type, limits the scope of 5GS application scenarios. Some implementations assume that AIoT devices are pre-configured with a default internal AIoT device ID. This strong assumption will limit the deployment of AIoT services due to the additional configuration burden. Furthermore, the current implementation lacks a discussion on how to create internal AIoT device IDs using third-party defined SNs, and how to use these internal AIoT device IDs after allocation.
[0059] This disclosure provides a solution for managing AIoT device IDs that is adaptable to variable encoding schemes applied to third-party defined device IDs (e.g., those used for RFID), and also takes into account the overhead of device management (including privacy aspects).
[0060] For illustrative purposes, the principles and exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will be referenced below. Figures 3 to 11 The embodiments described herein are provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand the inventive concept of this disclosure and to implement the solutions presented herein, and are not intended to limit the scope of this application in any way.
[0061] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an example communication network 300 in which some embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented is shown. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the communication network 300 may include a BS 310, multiple UEs 320-1 to 320-N (which may be collectively referred to as UE 320 or separately) and multiple AIoT devices 330.
[0062] exist Figure 3 In the diagram, multiple CN entities 350-1…350-N (collectively or individually referred to as CN entities 350) in the core network (CN) are also shown, where the CN can be a 5GC or 6G core network. Core network entity 350 can be implemented as one or more network functions (NFs), including, for example, AIoT functions (AIOTF), 5GC access and mobility management functions (AMF), or application functions (AF), etc.
[0063] Multiple UEs 320 can be within the coverage of BS 310; for example, each UE 320 can communicate with BS 310. In some cases, the location of BS 310 can be outdoor or indoor, the location of UE 320 can be outdoor or indoor, and the location of AIoT device 330 can also be outdoor or indoor. Network 300 can be used in use cases such as inventory or commands.
[0064] like Figure 3 As shown, UE 320 can act as an intermediary node for (bidirectional) communication between AIoT device 330 and BS 310. In this disclosure, UE 320 can also be interchangeably referred to as an intermediary node (I-node). It should be understood that IoT-enabled devices other than the UE, such as relays, IAB nodes, repeaters, etc., can also act as I-nodes. Figure 3 The number of UEs, AIoT devices, or CN entities shown is for illustrative purposes only. The communication network 300 may include any suitable number of devices.
[0065] In this disclosure, BS 310 and UE 320 can communicate with one or more AIOT devices, and from the perspective of the AIOT devices, the physical layer design may be indistinguishable. That is, the AIOT devices communicate directly and bidirectionally with the devices (e.g., BS 310 or UE 320).
[0066] Regarding the aforementioned issues, certain embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for generating a network-defined ID for use within 5GS using a third-party defined device ID, wherein the network-defined ID is shorter than the third-party defined device ID. In this disclosure, the network-defined ID can be used interchangeably with a temporary ID. Depending on the use case, the network-defined ID may include a temporary AIOT ID (referred to as a T-AIOT ID) and an optional ID extension portion. Some useful information or fields defined in the device ID (e.g., specific information, certain fields, the number of fields) can be extracted and stored as AIOT context for AIOT device management (e.g., internal group management, target AIOT device filtering for AIOT services, or path selection for AIOT service data transmission within 5GS). The method for triggering the creation of the network-defined ID and its use within 5GS are described below. It is worth noting that embodiments of this disclosure are also applicable to different scenarios beyond the AIOT examples described below.
[0067] Figure 4 An example of a process flow 400 for assigning temporary IDs to AIoT devices according to some example embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Process flow 400 relates to a first network device 410 and a second network device 420. The first network device 410 may be a device or entity for performing AIoT functions (AIOTF, AMF, or NEF) in a CN, as referenced... Figure 3 As described. The second network device 420 can be a device or entity used to perform application functions (AF) in a CN network. It should be understood that process 400 can be applied to other communication scenarios, which will not be described in detail here.
[0068] At 401, the second network device 420 sends a request 402 to the first network device 410 for the allocation of a temporary ID for use in the network for the AIoT device. Request 402 may include the device ID of the AIoT device. Request 402 may include a list of device IDs of the AIoT device list. Accordingly, at 403, the first network device 410 receives request 402.
[0069] A request for the allocation of a temporary ID can be triggered during the registration process for an AIoT device. For example, after a second network device 420 (e.g., AF) or an AIoT platform authorizes and / or authenticates an AIoT device, a request for the allocation of a temporary ID can be triggered. In some embodiments, a request for the allocation of a temporary ID can also be triggered, such as by the second network device 420 for any service request with a new device ID other than the device ID already registered from the second network device 420.
[0070] At 404, the first network device 410 assigns a temporary ID to the AIoT device based on the device ID of the AIoT device. In some embodiments, the first network device 410 may check whether the second network device 420 is authorized to request the temporary ID. If the second network device 420 is authorized, the first network device 410 may perform the temporary ID assignment; otherwise, the second network device may reject the request 402.
[0071] The temporary ID can be uniquely created within a logical area under the control of the first network entity 410. The first network device 410 can convert the device ID into a 5G-customized temporary ID. In some embodiments, the temporary ID may include at least a portion of the serial number (SN) from the device ID. The encoding format of the temporary ID can be compatible with and distinguishable from traditional UEs. Further details regarding the encoding of the temporary ID will be referenced below. Figure 5 and Figure 6 Described.
[0072] At 405, the first network device 410 may send a response 406 to the second network device 420 in response to the allocation request. Accordingly, at 407, the second network device 420 receives the response 406 from the first network device 410. The response 406 may indicate or include information indicating whether the temporary ID allocation was successful. In some embodiments, the response 406 may include the temporary ID allocated by the AIoT device. The second network device 420 may store the temporary ID and share it with the AIoT device, for example, through an application mechanism or offline.
[0073] In the following text, the unique ID (UID) defined by ISO / IEC FCD 15693-3 is used as an example to represent a third-party defined device ID. For ease of understanding, AIOTF is used as an example of the first network entity 410, and AF is used as an example of the second network entity 420. Without loss of generality, other examples of network entities can also be used to implement the solutions disclosed herein. The term "temporary ID" can be used interchangeably with the term "temporary AIOT ID" (T-AIOT ID). Additionally, it is assumed that 5GC maintains association information associated with a particular AIoT device.
[0074] In some embodiments, the encoding format of the T-AIOT ID can be compatible with and distinguishable from traditional UEs. Figure 5 The T-AIOT ID format compatible with 5GS-TMSI is shown according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0075] AIOTF can create a complete T-AIOT ID based on the UID, where the T-AIOT ID is a part of the complete T-AIOT ID (similar to what is defined for 5G-S-TMSI and 5G-GUTI). The complete T-AIOT ID can include the AIOTF ID, the T-AIOT ID, and other information (if any). Only the T-AIOT ID, not the complete T-AIOT ID, can be provided to the NG-RAN / UE. The formats of the complete T-AIOT ID and the T-AIOT ID are as follows: Figure 5 It is shown in the middle.
[0076] like Figure 5 As shown, a complete T-AIOT ID includes a Mobile Country Code (MCC) field and a Mobile Network Code (MNC) field as defined in 5G-GUTI, an AIOTF Identifier field including an AIOTF Region ID, an AIOTF Set ID, and an AIOTF pointer, and an AIOT-TMSI field that includes at least a portion of the UID's Sequence Number (SN). Alternatively, the AIOT-TMSI field may include at least one random number, the length of which may be equal to or shorter than the length of the UID's SN. A T-AIOT ID may consist of or include the AIOTF Set ID, AIOTF pointer, and AIOT-TMSI. That is, in addition to information from the UID, a T-AIOT ID may include a portion of the AIOTF ID. The maximum number of bits in a T-AIOT ID may be predefined by the specification or operator, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the maximum number of bits is M bits (M=X+Y+Z), where X represents the length of the AIOTF set ID, Y represents the length of the AIOTF pointer, and Z represents the length of the AIOT-TMSI.
[0077] As part of the T-AIOT ID, the AIOT-TMSI consists of or includes a portion of the UID's SN. In some embodiments, if the length of the UID's SN is <= Z, the complete SN is used, and any insufficient portion (MSB bits) can be set to zero. Otherwise, the SN is truncated to Z bits and applied to the AIOT-TMSI. The remaining portion of the SN (MSB bits) can be interpreted by 5GC as an extension of the AIOT-TMSI (an extended AIOT-TMSI, such as "AIOT-TMSI-ext"). AIOT-TMSI-ext can be used with the AIOT-TMSI to identify certain AIOT devices. Therefore, depending on the comparison between the length of the SN and the length of the AIOT-TMSI, the T-AIOT ID can include: a truncated SN (length of the UID's SN > Z), a complete SN of the device ID (length of the UID's SN = Z), or a padded SN of the device ID (length of the UID's SN > Z). <Z)。
[0078] For the encoding of the T-AIOT ID, different options are possible. In some implementations, the length of the T-AIOT ID can be the same as the length of the 5G-S-TMSI, where M = 48 bits. If the AIOTF ID is encoded in the same way as the AMF, then X = 10 bits, Y = 6 bits, and Z = 32 bits. Alternatively, the AIOTF identifier can use an encoding scheme different from the one used by the traditional NF in 5GC. For example, in one encoding scheme, only the AIOTF region ID and AIOTF pointer can be included, without using the AIOTF set. Therefore, X = 0 bits, Y = 6 bits, and Z = 42 bits. In another encoding scheme, the AIOTF pointer field may not be included at all, i.e., X is 0 bits, Y is 0 bits, and Z is 48 bits.
[0079] In some implementations, the length of the T-AIOT ID can differ from the length of the 5G-S-TMSI, with M predefined by the specification or operator. If the AIOTF ID is encoded identically to the AMF, then X = 10 bits and Y = 6 bits. Alternatively, the AIOTF identifier can use an encoding scheme different from the traditional NF in 5GC. For example, only the AIOTF region ID and AIOTF pointer are included, without any AIOTF set. Therefore, X = 0 bits, Y = 6 bits, and M = 42 bits. It should be understood that both the AIOTF set ID and the AIOTF pointer are optional, meaning X and / or Y can be 0 bits.
[0080] During the aforementioned transformation steps, 5GC (e.g., AIOTF) can also extract any syntax or fields of the UID and store and build it into the AIOT context. Here, the AIOT context may include the AIOT service context and / or the AIOT group context. AIOTF can determine the detailed transformation method based on local policies or instructions from OAM (Operation, Administration, and Maintenance). Generally, AIOTF may decide to transform category or domain information into the AIOT service context and decide to transform other information (e.g., EPC schemes) into internal AIOT group IDs and store them in the AIOT group context.
[0081] This context helps 5GS filter target AIoT devices indicated in additional AF requests and / or select paths within 5GS for AIoT services (e.g., inventory or command transmissions). Upon receiving an AF request for AIoT service configuration or data transmission (e.g., inventory or command services), 5GC (e.g., AIOTF) can map the requested UID to a T-AIOT ID, and then use the mapped T-AIOT ID and AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present) instead of the requested or indicated UID within 5GS (including the interface between I-node / RAN nodes and AIoT devices). The T-AIOT ID and AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present) can be used for paging or other 5GC signaling. Notably, when target AIoT devices have the same T-AIOTID due to truncation, I-nodes and RAN nodes can use AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present) to distinguish them.
[0082] Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating the creation of T-AIOT and AIOT context according to some example embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Figure 6 It demonstrates how third-party defined non-3GPP AIOT device IDs (such as UID and EPC) are converted into T-AIOT device IDs, and how 5GC extracts the syntax or fields of third-party defined non-3GPP AIOT device IDs and stores or builds them into the AIOT context.
[0083] Due to different formats (such as) Figure 6 As shown in the diagram, the SN or a portion of the SN within box 601 is used to create the T-AIOT ID. If, for the T-AIOT TMSI, SN > Z bits, then the MSB bits of the SN within box 602 can be set to an extension, i.e., AIOT-TMSI-ext. The size of AIOT-TMSI-ext can be predefined by the specification or the operator.
[0084] In some embodiments, for a 64-bit UID, "E0" can be extracted and stored in the AIoT service context, while the IC Mfg code can be converted and stored in the AIoT group context. If the Z bits are pre-configured as 42 bits by 3GPP, since for T-AIOT TMSI, SN (=48 bits) > 42 bits, the MSB 6 bits are extracted and set to AIOT-TMSI-ext, as shown below. Figure 6 As shown in box 602. If the Z bits are pre-configured by 3GPP to be 48 bits or larger, the complete SN is used to encode the AIOT TMSI.
[0085] In some embodiments, for EPC encoding, the "schema" field can be extracted and stored in the AIoT service context. The CompanyPrefix or ManagerNumber fields can also be converted and stored in the AIoT service context or AIoT group context. The ItemRefAndIndicator or ObjectClass field can be converted to an internal AIoT group ID and stored in the AIoT group context. It should be noted that only the two EPC example schemes are... Figure 6 As shown, other schemes can also be applied to 3GPP, and AIOTF can determine the detailed conversion method based on local policies or instructions from OAM.
[0086] Figure 7 An example of a process flow 700 for T-AIOT ID creation and use according to some example embodiments of this disclosure is shown. For process flow 700, it is assumed that the intermediate node is a UE, which acts as both an activator and a reader. Without loss of generality, it is also assumed that the AIOT context is divided into a service context and a group context, respectively.
[0087] Generally, process flow 700 includes an example process for assigning a network-defined ID based on an AF request (steps 1 to 7b) and an example process for transmitting AIoT services (steps 8 to 20). These two processes can be executed separately.
[0088] At step 1, the AF requests the 5GS to perform a network-defined AIOT ID allocation (i.e., a temporary ID). The AF may send an AF request for network-defined AIOT ID allocation to the AIOTF, where the AF request includes the tag ID. In some embodiments, the AF may trigger the request for network-defined AIOT ID allocation during the registration process for the AIOT device. Alternatively or additionally, the allocation request may be triggered, as requested by the AF for any service request with a new device ID other than the device ID already registered from the AF. Other triggering is also possible.
[0089] At step 2, AIOTF may decide to convert the requested tag ID to a complete T-AIOT ID, and optionally to an AIOT group ID. The complete T-AIOT ID may include the T-AIOT ID and AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present). The newly assigned complete T-AIOT ID, or may only be a portion of the T-AIOT ID, is stored in the associated information of the AIOT device and its associated I-node or RAN node, via which the AIOT device is reachable. Because third-party manufactured devices may use alphanumeric encoding for certain fields, AIOTF may need to detect and use these fields by converting them to binary encoding.
[0090] At step 3: Other parts of the tag ID can be extracted, transformed, and stored in the AIOTF context. The AIOTF context includes a service context and / or a group context. Certain fields can be transformed and stored in the service context. If certain fields are transformed into an internal AIOTF group ID, they can be stored in the AIOTF group context. Such a context can help 5GS filter the target AIOTF device indicated in a separate AF request and / or the path selection for AIOTF services (e.g., inventory or commands) transport within 5GS. Based on the information included in the AF request, AIOTF can compare it with the stored AIOTF context to determine the target AIOTF device and, together with stored association information, determine the path (e.g., along the 5GC NF, RAN node, and I-node) for the AIOTF service to reach the target AIOTF device.
[0091] At step 4, AIOTF may determine whether to store the AIOT context (including both the AIOT service context and / or the AIOT group context) in the UDM / UDR. In some implementations, AIOTF may also store the network-defined AIOT ID and the AIOT device's tag ID in association with the AIOT context in the UDM / UDR.
[0092] At step 5, the 5GS (e.g., AIOTF) can determine whether to send the created / assigned network-defined AIOT ID (including the T-AIOT ID and AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present)) to the corresponding AIOT device as a predefined behavior or based on a local policy. In some embodiments, the 5GS can also make this decision based on the AIOT device type (e.g., whether (multiple) AIOT devices have writable memory). Only AIOT devices with writable memory can receive (multiple) network-defined AIOT IDs. The 5GS is aware of the AIOT device type indicated by the AF, or the AIOT device type of certain AIOT services. If the AIOTF device has writable memory, the AIOTF can send a T-AIOT configuration (e.g., via a dedicated message) to supply the newly assigned network-defined AIOT ID to the AIOTF device. Traditional 5GS signaling associated with the associated I-node / RAN node can be reused.
[0093] In some embodiments, after each operation (inventory, command, etc.) involving AIOTF transmission, AIOTF may trigger a reallocation operation to the device's T-AIOT ID to provide the T-AIOT ID to be used next, which is in Figure 7 Not shown in the text. How to perform the reallocation is outside the scope of this disclosure. One candidate method is to use, as... Figure 7 The method shown derives the initial T-AIOT ID. AIOTF and AIoT devices use, for example, the same hash algorithm to update or redistribute the latest T-AIOT ID based on the existing one for use in the next round.
[0094] At step 6, the 5GC (via the AIOTF of NEF) can respond to an AF request regarding the allocation result, such as whether it was successful. In some embodiments, if step 5 is not performed, the AIOT IDs of the (multiple) allocated network definitions can be sent to the AF. The AIOT IDs of the (multiple) allocated network definitions can be included in the AF response. Then, at steps 7a and 7b, the AF can share the received AIOT IDs of the (multiple) allocated network definitions with the application server (AS), and the AS can further supply the (multiple) IDs to the AIoT devices. The AS can perform this supplying through application layer mechanisms or offline methods.
[0095] Regarding the AIOTF service phase, inventory is used as an example. At steps 8 and 9, upon receiving an AIOT service request with a tag ID, AIOTF can have the AF select the appropriate I-node / RAN node to reach the requested (multiple) AIOT devices. At step 10, AIOTF maps the requested tag ID to the latest T-AIOT ID and AIOT-TMSI-ext (if necessary).
[0096] At steps 11 and 12, the AIOTF can send the mapped T-AIOT ID and AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present) to the AMF, and trigger the paging process via step 12. Note that the paging message here is only an example, and other core network signaling can be applied to transmit the mapped T-AIOT ID and AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present) to the AMF.
[0097] In steps 13 and 14, the NG-RAN maps the received paging message to an RRC paging message, and instructs the I-node to query the tag via activation signaling. The network-defined T-AIOT ID is used in both the paging message and the activation signal.
[0098] At steps 15 and 16, the tag may perform ID matching to determine if the detected activation signal is for itself. If so, the tag responds to the signal and returns its T-AIOT ID and AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present).
[0099] If the AIoT device does not have writable memory, upon receiving an activation signal, the AIoT device matches its own UID with the indicated AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present) and T-AIOT ID. If the LSB Z bit of the SN matches the AIOT-TMSI of the received T-AIOT ID, the AIoT device determines it as the activation target and responds to the activation signal.
[0100] In steps 18-20, after receiving a response from the AMF, the AIOTF can determine that the tag has been successfully discovered, and then map the T-AIOT ID and AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present) to the tag ID and feed it back to the AF. The signaling in steps 19 and 20 may include the tag ID instead of the T-AIOT ID and AIOT-TMSI-ext (if present).
[0101] In summary, the embodiments of this disclosure provide an advantageous network-defined ID management method that allows AFs or ASs to use third-party defined device IDs to support 5GS services, including those for widely used RFID systems. Since the original device ID is not used, the proposed method also provides greater privacy support for AIoT services. In some embodiments, aligned and inclusive network-controlled AIoT ID management is used within 5GS, regardless of the encoding scheme applied by the third-party application. Furthermore, since the temporary AIoT ID converted by 5GS is a truncated ID of a type derived from a third-party defined device ID, more efficient and private transmission of AIoT device IDs is possible.
[0102] Figure 8 A flowchart of an example method 800 implemented at a first network device (e.g., a device for performing Ambient Internet of Things (AIOTF) functions) according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For ease of understanding, method 800 will refer to Figure 4 Described from the perspective of the first network device 410.
[0103] At box 810, the first network device 410 receives from the second network device a request for the allocation of a temporary ID for use within the network for an Ambient Internet of Things (AIOT) device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device. At box 820, the first network device 410 allocates a temporary ID for the AIOT device based on the device ID of the AIOT device.
[0104] In some embodiments, the temporary ID includes at least a portion of the ID of the first network device.
[0105] In some embodiments, the ID of the first network device includes at least one of the following: a set ID of the first network device and a pointer to the first network device.
[0106] In some embodiments, the length of the temporary ID is the same as the length of the 5G-S-Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identifier (5G-S-TMSI).
[0107] In some embodiments, the first network device may create a complete temporary ID for the AIoT device, wherein the complete temporary ID includes: the ID of the first network device and the temporary ID of the AIoT device.
[0108] In some embodiments, the ID of the first network device included in the complete temporary ID is encoded as the Access Management Function (AMF) ID in 5G-S-TMSI.
[0109] In some embodiments, the temporary ID includes: a truncated version of the serial number (SN) of the device ID, a full version of the SN of the device ID, or a padded version of the SN of the device ID.
[0110] In some embodiments, the first network device may create an extension of the temporary ID, which includes the remaining portion of the SN after truncation.
[0111] In some embodiments, the first network device may send at least the temporary ID of the AIoT device to the AIoT device.
[0112] In some embodiments, the temporary ID of the AIOT device is sent to the AIOT device in a dedicated configuration message or in a response to a request for further allocation by a second network device to the AIOT device.
[0113] In some embodiments, the first network device may send a response to the second network device indicating whether the temporary ID allocation was successful.
[0114] In some embodiments, the first network device can create context information for the AIoT device by extracting the syntax information or field information of the device ID, excluding the serial number (SN) of the device ID.
[0115] In some embodiments, the context information includes at least one of the service context or group context of the AIoT device.
[0116] In some embodiments, the first network device may send a temporary ID and context information to the Unified Data Management (UDM) or User Data Repository (UDR) network function for storage.
[0117] In some embodiments, a first network device may receive a service request from a second network device, the service request including the device ID of the AIoT device; and based on the receipt of the service request, obtain a temporary ID of the AIoT device according to the device ID.
[0118] In some embodiments, the first network device may create an extension of the temporary ID of the AIoT device based on the device ID, wherein the extension of the temporary ID includes at least the remaining part of the SN truncated in the device ID.
[0119] In some embodiments, a first network device may send a query request message to an AMF associated with an AIOT device. The query request message includes at least a temporary ID, wherein the query request signaling will be used to discover the AIOT device and / or retrieve data from the AIOT device.
[0120] In some embodiments, a first network device may receive a query response message via an AMF, the query response message including at least a temporary ID of the AIoT device; and send a service response to a second network device, the service response including the device ID of the AIoT device.
[0121] In some embodiments, the first network device includes an Ambient Internet of Things (AIOT) function (AIOTF).
[0122] In some embodiments, the temporary ID includes at least: a portion of the serial number (SN) included in the device ID, or a random number with a length equal to or shorter than the SN included in the device ID.
[0123] Figure 9 A flowchart of an example method 900 implemented at a second network device (e.g., a device for performing application functions (AF)) according to some other embodiments of this disclosure is shown. For ease of understanding, method 900 will be referenced to Figure 3 It is described from the perspective of the second network device 420.
[0124] At box 910, the second network device 420 sends a request to the first network device for the allocation of a temporary ID for use in the network for the AIOT device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device.
[0125] In some embodiments, the second network device may receive a response from the first network device, the response including a temporary ID of the AIoT device.
[0126] In some embodiments, the second network device may provide a temporary ID to the AIoT device via an application server (AS).
[0127] In some embodiments, the second network device includes an application function (AF), and wherein the AIoT device includes an environmental Internet of Things (AIOT).
[0128] In some embodiments, the apparatus capable of performing method 800 (e.g., the first network device 410) may include components for performing the corresponding steps of method 800. These components may be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the components may be implemented in a circuit system or a software module.
[0129] In some example embodiments, the apparatus includes: components for receiving, at a first network device, from a second network device a request for allocating a temporary ID for network use of an AIOT device, the request including a device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device; and components for, at the first network device, allocating a temporary ID of the AIOT device based on the device ID of the AIOT device, wherein the temporary ID is unique under the control of the first network device.
[0130] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes components for performing additional steps in some embodiments of method 800. In some embodiments, the components include at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause execution of the apparatus.
[0131] In some embodiments, the apparatus capable of performing method 900 (e.g., the second network device 420) may include components for performing the corresponding steps of method 900. These components may be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the components may be implemented in a circuit system or a software module.
[0132] In some example embodiments, the apparatus includes a component for sending a request from a second network device to a first network device for a temporary ID for network use of an AIOT (Internet of Things) device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device.
[0133] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes components for performing other steps in some embodiments of method 900. In some embodiments, the components include at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause execution of the apparatus.
[0134] Figure 10 A simplified block diagram of a device 1000 suitable for implementing some example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Device 1000 may be provided to implement a communication device, such as... Figure 4 The first network device or the second network device shown. As shown, device 1000 includes one or more processors 1010, one or more memories 1020 coupled to processor 1010, and one or more communication modules 1040 coupled to processor 1010.
[0135] The communication module 1040 is used for bidirectional communication. The communication module 1040 has at least one antenna to facilitate communication. The communication interface can represent any interface required for communication with other network elements.
[0136] Processor 1010 can be of any type suitable for a local technology network, and by way of non-limiting example, can include one or more of the following: general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP), and processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Device 1000 can have multiple processors, such as application-specific integrated circuit chips that are time-dependent on a clock synchronized with the main processor.
[0137] Memory 1020 may include one or more non-volatile memories and one or more volatile memories. Examples of non-volatile memories include, but are not limited to, read-only memory (ROM) 1024, electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, hard disk, optical disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), and other magnetic and / or optical storage. Examples of volatile memories include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM) 1022 and other volatile memories that will not persist during power outages.
[0138] Computer program 1030 includes computer-executable instructions that are executed by the associated processor 1010. Program 1030 may be stored in ROM 1024. Processor 1010 may perform any suitable actions and processes by loading program 1030 into RAM 1022.
[0139] Embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented via program 1030, enabling device 1000 to execute any process of this disclosure, as referenced. Figures 8 to 9 The embodiments of this disclosure can also be implemented in hardware or by a combination of software and hardware.
[0140] In some embodiments, program 1030 may be tangibly contained in a computer-readable medium, which may be included in device 1000 (e.g., in memory 1020) or in other storage devices accessible by device 1000. Device 1000 may load program 1030 from the computer-readable medium into RAM 1022 for execution. The computer-readable medium may include any type of tangible non-volatile memory, such as ROM, EPROM, flash memory, hard disk, CD, DVD, etc.
[0141] Figure 11 A block diagram of an example of a computer-readable medium 1100 according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The computer-readable medium 1100 has a program 1030 stored thereon. It should be noted that, although the computer-readable medium 1100... Figure 11 The program is depicted in the form of a CD or DVD, but the computer-readable medium 1100 may be in any other form suitable for carrying or retaining the program 1030.
[0142] Generally, the various embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in hardware or dedicated circuitry, software, logic, or any combination thereof. Some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while others may be implemented in firmware or software, which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device. Although various aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure are shown and described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using some other graphical representation, it should be understood that, as non-limiting examples, the blocks, apparatuses, systems, techniques, or methods described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, dedicated circuitry or logic, general-purpose hardware or controllers or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.
[0143] This disclosure also provides at least one computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer-executable instructions (such as those included in program modules) that are executed in a device on a target real or virtual processor to perform the functions described above. Figures 8 to 9 The method described is 800 or 900. Typically, a program module includes routines, programs, libraries, objects, classes, components, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. The functionality of a program module can be combined or split among program modules as needed in various embodiments. The machine-executable instructions used for a program module can be executed on a local or distributed device. In a distributed device, the program module can reside on both local and remote storage media.
[0144] Program code used to perform the methods of this disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that when executed by the processor or controller, the program code causes the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, as a stand-alone software package, partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.
[0145] In the context of this disclosure, computer program code or related data may be carried by any suitable carrier to enable a device, apparatus, or processor to perform the various processes and operations described above. Examples of carriers include signals, computer-readable media, etc.
[0146] Computer-readable media can be computer-readable signal media or computer-readable storage media. Computer-readable media can include, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media will include electrical connections having one or more lines, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. As used herein, the term "non-transient" is a limitation of the medium itself (i.e., tangible, not signaling), not a limitation of the persistence of data storage (e.g., RAM and ROM).
[0147] Furthermore, although the operations are described in a specific order, this should not be construed as requiring that these operations must be performed in the specific order or sequence shown, or that all of the operations shown must be performed to achieve the desired result. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be more advantageous. Similarly, while several specific implementation details are included in the foregoing discussion, these implementation details should not be considered as limiting the scope of this disclosure, but rather as a description of features that may be specific to a particular embodiment. Certain features described in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented separately or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments.
[0148] Although this disclosure has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that this disclosure as defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed as examples of implementing the claims.
Claims
1. A first network device, comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform at least the following: Receives a request from a second network device for the allocation of a temporary ID for use within the network for an AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIoT device; and Based on the device ID of the AIOT device, assign the temporary ID of the AIOT device.
2. The first network device according to claim 1, wherein the temporary ID includes at least a portion of the ID of the first network device.
3. The first network device according to claim 2, wherein the portion of the ID of the first network device includes at least one of the following: a set ID of the first network device and a pointer to the first network device.
4. The first network device according to claim 1, wherein the length of the temporary ID is the same as the length of the 5G-S-Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identifier (5G-S-TMSI).
5. The first network device according to claim 2, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform: Create a complete temporary ID for the AIoT device, wherein the complete temporary ID includes: The ID of the first network device and the temporary ID of the AIoT device.
6. The first network device of claim 1, wherein the ID of the first network device included in the complete temporary ID is encoded as an Access Management Function (AMF) ID in 5G-S-TMSI.
7. The first network device according to claim 1, wherein the temporary ID includes: The truncated version of the serial number (SN) of the device ID, the full version of the SN of the device ID, or the padded version of the SN of the device ID.
8. The first network device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform: Create an extension for the temporary ID, the extension including: The remaining part after the SN is truncated.
9. The first network device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform: Send at least the temporary ID of the AIOT device to the AIOT device.
10. The first network device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the temporary ID of the AIOT device is sent to the AIOT device in a dedicated configuration message or in a response to a request for further allocation provided to the AIOT device by the second network device.
11. The first network device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform: A response is sent to the second network device, indicating whether the temporary ID allocation was successful.
12. The first network device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform: The context information of the AIoT device is created by extracting the syntax information or field information of the device ID, excluding the serial number (SN).
13. The first network device according to claim 12, wherein the context information includes: At least one of the service context or group context of the AIoT device.
14. The first network device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform: Send the temporary ID and the context information to the Unified Data Management (UDM) or User Data Repository (UDR) network function for storage.
15. The first network device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform: Receive a service request from the second network device, the service request including the device ID of the AIoT device; and Based on the receipt of the service request, the temporary ID of the AIoT device is obtained according to the device ID.
16. The first network device of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform: Based on the device ID, an extension of the temporary ID of the AIoT device is created, wherein the extension of the temporary ID includes at least: The remaining part of the SN in the device ID after truncation.
17. The first network device of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform: A query request message is sent to the AMF associated with the AIOT device. The query request message includes at least the temporary ID, and the query request signaling will be used to discover the AIOT device and / or retrieve data from the AIOT device.
18. The first network device of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first network device to perform: The query response message is received via the AMF, and the query response message includes at least the temporary ID of the AIoT device; and Send a service response to the second network device, the service response including the device ID of the AIoT device.
19. The first network device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the first network device includes an Ambient Internet of Things (AIOT) function (AIOTF).
20. The first network device according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the temporary ID comprises at least: The part of the serial number (SN) included in the device ID, or a random number with a length equal to or shorter than the SN included in the device ID.
21. A second network device, comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the terminal device to perform at least the following: A request is sent to a first network device to assign a temporary ID for use within the network for an AIoT device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIoT device.
22. The second network device of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the second network device to perform: A response is received from the first network device, the response including the temporary ID of the AIoT device.
23. The second network device of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the second network device to perform: The temporary ID is supplied to the AIoT device via an application server (AS).
24. The second network device of claim 21, wherein the second network device includes application functions (AF).
25. A method comprising: At the first network device, a request is received from the second network device for the allocation of a temporary ID for use in the network for an AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) device; the request includes the device identifier (ID) of the AIoT device; and At the first network device, a temporary ID for the AIOT device is assigned based on the device ID of the AIOT device, wherein the temporary ID is unique under the control of the first network device.
26. A method comprising: A request is sent from a second network device to a first network device to assign a temporary ID for network use to an AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device.
27. An apparatus comprising: A component for receiving, at a first network device, a request from a second network device for a temporary ID for network use of an AIOT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device; and A component for assigning a temporary ID to the AIOT device at the first network device based on the device ID of the AIOT device, wherein the temporary ID is unique under the control of the first network device.
28. A method comprising: A component for sending a request from a second network device to a first network device for the allocation of a temporary ID for network use for an AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device.
29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions, which, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform at least the following: At the first network device, a request for a temporary ID for network use of an AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) device is received from the second network device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIoT device; and At the first network device, a temporary ID for the AIOT device is assigned based on the device ID of the AIOT device, wherein the temporary ID is unique under the control of the first network device.
30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform at least the following: A request is sent from a second network device to a first network device to assign a temporary ID for network use to an AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) device, the request including the device identifier (ID) of the AIOT device.